Yesterday was the second race in the Oklahoma MTB series. Outback at Post Oak in Sapulpa, OK. I’ve been once before about 2 years ago. I remembered it was rocky but not too bad. Well I have a bad memory or as was suggested erosion has exposed the rocks much more, but this course was relentless. Granted I was on a full suspension bike and not a hardtail last time there.
We arrived pretty early so the kids and I could get a lap in to try to learn the course. It went ok, and it also let me know this was going to be a hard day on the bike. I felt like maybe I could win, but if I did it was going to be extremely taxing on me.
Ryan was first race and he did great. He was fourth overall junior and third in his age group. He wasn’t happy with his race, but I just told him you can’t win every race. Told him he rode well and to be happy he didn’t crash or have a mechanical. The other kids were a bit bigger, as to be expected because he’s 10 racing up in 13-15. I don’t think he realizes how much more strength the bigger kids have that helps on rough trails like that. I think it’s a great thing that we have such healthy junior competition in our local series to push all the kids. 
Next I was up with Aubrey following a few minutes behind. I was a little nervous for her but she’s got the skill, and it pretty smart when knowing what she can and can’t do. I figured this would be one of her worst trails so getting through would be a good goal.
I got a great start, something I knew Ray and Jake didn’t want to happen. I knew they would be faster in the rocks, my goal was to hopefully disrupt their rhythm and still make a race of it. 
That didn’t last long. Ray attacked up a hill in the first 2 min. I tried to go with him but just couldn’t ride that pace smoothly. I backed it off a bit right about the same time Jake crashed. So I had space behind me and was monitoring the gap to Ray. I figured his pace would slow, or I could get the lines figured out and pick my pace up. Neither happened. He kept creeping away, then Jake caught. I let him by and rode his wheel for a few corners but he then crept away too. At this point I was blown. I didn’t get much of any kind of warm up and was thinking on lap 2 my body would come back around and maybe I could go after them. I started to feel slightly better, but I was too worked over. By mid lap 2 I knew I wasn’t catching either of them. I just was keeping tabs on Corey in fourth. Going as hard as I needed to maintain that and no more. My whole body was tired and I just wanted it to be over! I was excited when I caught up to Aub, she was leading her race! So I finished it out, and was glad that one is in the past. Aub won her race too!
So I’m sure everyone that’s been following the #yearofthehardtail is either laughing at my expense or questioning what if I had been on full suspension. The way I see it, I chose to race a hardtail. All year, every race, every trail. Did I know it would be slower? Yes, every race, every trail. My other option, an Epic FSR is absolutely the ultimate XC race bike. That said, I don’t regret it. I’m having a good time with the challenge it presents me. Yesterday there may have been moments I wasn’t having a good time, mainly from right after the start, to the finish haha! Regardless I’ll stick to my plan and race the same bike. Would I have finished better on FS yesterday? I really don’t think so. It may have been more of a battle, but Ray was absolutely flying, and Jake wasn’t far off that pace. Something many of you have not or probably will not see, is Ray Hall, on good form, going through a rocky trail at race pace. Hell, I’ve never seen it for very long lol! I’ll never show up to a rocky trail and expect to beat him. Not that I won’t try, but it’s a tall order. It makes me smile to think that MY home trail is the next race, can’t wait to have a nice casual cruise with those guys on the trails I love at Lake Thunderbird.
Oh, and I did have a consolation prize after my beating, my SPCX Stars and Stripes jersey came in and Jake brought them to me! Hoping for short sleeve riding weather now.
Chris drummond 